The above is a rather interesting AAIB report. The pilot in question was quite experienced, and the AAIB report reads rather like his lawyer has been at it. It seems that the pilot has kept his ratings and so on valid, but could have benefitted from the equivalent of a Line Check. He was clearly completing simulator training well and had splashed out very sensibly on an upset recovery course, but flying single pilot requires a lot of discipline if you are not going to develop bad habits (fiddling with paperwork/whatever when approaching a cleared level for example).
I am also interested as to why the CJ2 is not climbed at a Mach number at high altitude, but an IAS climb schedule is still given? The AAIB are rather sniffy about his use of VS to climb, but my experience of the constant speed climb modes on other Bizjets suggest that you would end up oscillating uncomfortably in pitch as the AP struggled to hold the target climb speed. The report (I suspect with his lawyers’ input) makes much of the fact that there was no warning that use of VS would stall the aircraft if you leave it engaged, but one would hope that would be basic airmanship and common sense, or indeed something that in an AOC world that would be discussed when training on type.
It is also noteworthy that he only managed to get the aircraft under control once he was presented with a visible horizon. The roll and pitch numbers in the report were startling and a rather nasty demonstration of swept wing stall behaviour – oscillating up to 115° of roll attitude, pitch up to almost 90° nose down! I am not surprised that he needed to see outside before recovering as I suspect none of us have much experience of seeing the unusual attitude screens on our PFDs.
That’s horror !
The AAIB are rather sniffy about his use of VS to climb, but my experience of the constant speed climb modes on other Bizjets suggest that you would end up oscillating uncomfortably in pitch as the AP struggled to hold the target climb speed.
There are two competing philosophies here. Constant speed/mach climbout (FLC or “flight level change” it as called in Mr. Cessna’s products, it switches automatically beween IAS and Mach at some flight level that I tend to forget) works fairly well with newer Citations to which this CJ2+ certainly belongs. The operating manual advocates this mode for climbs and gives specific speed figures for optimal profiles. But the older ones tended to oscillate a lot as you write. However this mode gives you no control over climb speed which is restricted inside RVSM airspace. So for that reason I can understand his choice of using vertical speed mode. Our SOPs (commercial operation) leave it to the discretion of the pilot which mode to use. But we fly with two pilots, so one can monitor the instruments while the other one looks after everything else. And this is how every bizjet should be flown. Two crew. If this guy (an experienced pilot!) lost control during routine operation, what would have been the outcome in case of an emergency?
I am not surprised that he needed to see outside before recovering as I suspect none of us have much experience of seeing the unusual attitude screens on our PFDs.
The problem with these instruments is that they only display arrows once outside their normal operating parameters (I don’t fly the CJ2 but I guess the display is limited to something like 60 degrees of bank and 45 degrees of pitch). You are supposed to steer in the direction of the arrow to regain control, but if you don’t train to do that – usual training will not take you that far – you will not instinctively know what to do.
Blimey!
This report reveals some hazards in the procedures we may adopt as pilots, and especially single pilots, outside of an airline environment. But, this guy does not seem to have had a clue about his aircraft and its performance envelope!
Nobody in their right mind sets VS and lets the aircraft climb away on its own into the stratosphere. The CJ series has all the flight modes you would expect including FLC which is the proper tool for climb, especially under circumstances where you will be on the edge of the performance envelope. “500ft usually works” is proof enough that he didn’t know what he was doing and why. Experienced in hours perhaps, but perhaps not so experienced after all.
Forgot to mention, on the CJ in FLC mode the airspeed switches automatically to Mach when passing through FL something something..
Using VS in the RVSM case is less of a problem as if you need to use it to reduce the rate, you have more than enough performance to maintain speed and probably have to take thrust off to avoid an exceedence. In the Lear 45, we use VS all the time as the pitch hunting feels quite unpleasant in the FLC mode (that, and you get a fixed speed schedule you can’t alter). We do however have two crew, and are well aware of the pitfalls. As you say, 2 crew really are required to provide adequate safety barriers.
I never saw the UA display once on my Lear or 737 type rating courses, and hope to god not to see it on the line.
Josh – the FLC mode in the Lear 45 is quite different to the FLC mode in the CJ2+.
In the Lear 45, as you correctly say, you get the speeds schedule that changes with your level. The FLC mode in the CJ2+ would be comparable to the Speed / Mach hold mode in your Lear 45.
FLC mode actually works pretty well in a CJ. If you set a speed and get distracted, the worst thing that can happen is you level off.
Josh, that wasn’t a business flight. Why the headline?
Would insurance cover the substantial damage to the aircraft?
I would have thought so. Why wouldn’t it?
Whilst the particular flight wasn’t business related, it was an owner-operator. I apologise if you took any general adverse inference against owner/operators as none was intended. However, as we have discussed at length before, I do believe that SPIFR operation of complex aircraft like this is a major risk hence the title.
I’m not, nor have been a businessman, but I can also imagine worrying about a business meeting or concerns can’t help with one’s focus in a high workload environment.
